67th Hunger Games
by Firess Bolivia
Summary: Dawn Lockheart is a girl from 8 and would never even think about going into the Games until today. The reaping day changes her life and others. The life changing event occurs and she is going to compete against 23 tributes in the 67th Hunger Games.
1. Reaping Day

**Dawn Lockheart, of District 8.**

I am surrounded by sheets and covers of my bed. Being from District 8 has its advantages, we know how to make clothes so we never get cold. I am one of the higher class people in my District my parents are the managers of some of the factories. I get up slowly and see the sun's rays pour into my room through my window. Today is reaping day in which tributes are chosen to participate in the Hunger Games. Usually people from my District die in the bloodbath so when they are reaped I always whisper under my breath " More like a death sentence." I get dressed in a silky, soft, yellow dress that was my sister's who is now 19 she is one of the lucky people who don't get reaped. After getting dressed I walk downstairs to greet my family. " Hey mom." I say as I get my shoes on one of them hard to push my foot into. " Hey Dawn, um Jennifer came over today to say good luck and that is also from me." She loves my truly but on the reaping day she always acts cold and distant and I feel as if I died in the Games she would act that way for a long time, missing me and holding onto my remains of stuff when my body comes in a box and sent to our house with my yellow dress. She would then be miserable.

" Mom I need to go, I love you remember that I will be fine just when I am not called lets have a good time after that, okay?" She nods of approval and I then walk out of the house and head down to Town Square. I meet up with Jennifer and she smiles. " Hey how is it going?"I shrug what am I suppose to say, it's great the Hunger Games are happening I will have a party. " It is okay I guess today is the reaping day so I don't see a reason to feel good." She nods and just walks along with me to the 15 year old line. " Hand out." Says a peacekeeper and I stick my hand out. " Hey Tom how is Kyle." I ask, I know him from the factory he always gives me tips and I like how he is so nice. " She is great but she is kinda scared about today but her name is in their 3 times she has nothing to worry about." " Yeah I guess." and after that I go into my designated line. Jennifer walks toward me and stands still on my right and she frowns. " What is wrong." I ask worried for her because she is never like this. " Well I um, my name is in there 25 times." She whispers barely audible. " It is fine you just be confident and have your head held high." I answer. " Wow you sound like Velvet Duncan." She slightly giggles because that is her advice for tributes ' Head help high and be confident.' I am about to respond with a hateful comment to the Capitol when she arrives. " Welcome welcome, Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." She grins and then speaks up again. " This year is the 67th Hunger Games so it has been 67 years since the Dark Days so that will be the sum up of this video from the Capitol." When she is done talking the televisions play the video and the summary of it is, we rebelled, we lost, we get punished so 23 dead people each year is our consequence.

" I love that." She exclaims, somebody has very perky this year for our untimely death. " Now the time has come to pick on male and female tribute to participate in the 67th Hunger Games." She walks away from the microphone and towards the boy tribute bowl. " Boys we ready to get up here." She the dives her hand into the bowl and swims her hand around in it to find the 'perfect' name. She finds one and goes back to the microphone and reads the name " James Linger!" She announces to the whole District to heard, to heard the name that isn't their's, but there is the one kid who did that will soon be murdered on television for the Capitol. A scrawny 12 year old is about to walk to the stage when a man screams a phrase as old as time. " I volunteer!" When that happens the the boy's face lights up for not being in the game but I am still trying to find the person who shouted that name. I search the area for him until I see his face. He is Titus Crow one of the strongest kids in my school, if he was from 1 or 2 he would be a career tribute all the way. When I think he volunteered to participate he actually hugs the kid and goes to the stage with a tear forming at his eye. " So who was that?" Velvet asks him. " My cousin he is like a brother to me and even though my brother died 2 years ago in the final 3 in the Hunger Games." " Well that is very touching but now it is time for the girls." She finishes her sentence and walks to the girl tribute bowl. She copies what she did for the boys and finds the name she hopes will bring the Capitol a good show. She gets to the mic and reads the name. " Jennifer Young!" The name echos through through the District in a horrifying way, dead silent. That name was my best, and only, friend and she is off to her death. I don't think it is mindless and do something I never dreamed I would do. " I volunteer as tribute!" I yell and then everybody's head turns toward me. Jennifer only made it to the stairs when she turns around and see me take her place. " Well this is unusual there has never been 2 volunteers in the games beside 1,2, and 4." I hug Jennifer and whisper in her ear " Your welcome." and I go up to the stage, and when I get up to my spot a tear rolls down her eye and I know she will miss me.

" Now who was that girl there?" She has a lot of questions today and I want to punch her in the face but I restrain. " She is my best and only friend, and I don't want her to go to her death because unlike me, she will have a future." My words echo through the District and I know I said to much but hey, all they want is a good show. " Well now welcome this years tributes of District 8!" She has a lot of energy and escorts us into the Justice Building along with peacekeepers. I am in a room with pictures of past victors and the pictures are as always so low only 8 I see. " You have 2 minutes." Says a peacekeepers as he pushes my mom,dad, and sister into the room. " Dawn why, why did you do that." My mom exclaims with tears in her eyes. " I had to protect he she is like the little sister I never had!" And now this time my eyes fill up with tears and i blink them out of my eyes. " I might have Miranda but she is somebody who is supposed to protect me and she can't now she can't go into the Games anymore." She is now speechless but now and can't manage a word. " Fine, fine. Just please try to win, for us your family and for Jennifer and her family we be watching you so stay alive." She then gets up and out of the room when my dad speaks up. " Sweetheart I love you try to come back to us." He then hands me a necklace with the District seal on it in solid gold, it's worth a fortune. " It's your sisters but she wants you to have it." I don't even get to say 'goodbye' or 'thank you' or an 'I love you' until the peacekeepers grab my sister and dad to the hallway away from me forever. The next person to barge in is Jenny with tears in her eyes. " Dawn thank you and be safe in the arena don't die." She pauses to catch he breath then continues " We will all be watching you and don't disappoint me and your family because we will miss you." She quickly gets up and walks toward the door when I speak up. " Jenny." She turns around slowly to see me. " I will try to win okay." She smiles barely and then closes the door.

Titus and I are then escorted too the train that leads to the Capitol where so many things will happen. But when we get on the train I don't even think I just go to my room and take a nap. I hope tomorrow will bring better things than today frenzy of drama. Let the Games begin.


	2. Train ride

As I awake from the sleep I see it has only been 4 hours since the reaping and I am still on the way to the Capitol, kinda thought I would be there by now. I get up and go into the sitting room an see Titus an Cecelia talking. " Hey your our mentor?" " Yes I won the 58th Hunger Games 9 years ago." I nod along and tone out as they talk about something stupid like the Capitol and the clothes blah blah blah. I just keep thinking in my head ' I just sacrificed my life for ones of another, and I didn't even think I just did it.' I come back to reality and Cecelia is asking Titus of his skills he has that might give him an advantage in the Games. " Well I am strong I will pick up on spear skills I guess but that's all not like survival skills will help me." I knew he would be a career not doing everything just weaponry. " How about you Dawn, you got something." " I can thrown knives well." I say confidently to her. " Really how did you find out how?" " After working in the factory my friends and I would get some knives from the factory floor and practice, I was the best in the group." " You know that was my skill that saved my life in the Games, hopefully your too." Then she smiles at me with a twinkle in her eye. " Hey Dawn I got a question for you." Titus announces " Shot." I reply " How can a girl like you with red hair, green eyes, and peach skin. Be so brave to replace that girl?" I am about to say the answer when I speak " How about you with that 12 year-old, you are more of a career than a person desperate to keep his loved ones at bay." He shrugs " We were close so when he was called he had no chance so somebody had to save him." I reply " Same for me except she had some sort of chance she likes to hide so she would do that but not like they comes out with a victor except for District 6." Well that solves the sharing part of our train ride to the Capitol time for the reapings. Cecelia turns the t.v. on and we watch the recaps of the reapings. In District 1 I don't catch their names but the male is very bulky and has dirty blonde hair. The girl is not bulky but she has the kind of smirk that gives me chills. Both from 2 are big but the girl is quite smaller in size but that arrogance she gives off is what will probably kill her, or at least I hope. The tributes from 3-9 are the usual 4 are possibly careers and the rest are either weak or well fed. But District 10 catches my eye the guy looks fierce and the girl I can see it in her eyes, she is confident. I want to team with them because we might be a little higher in the Districts but they are more fierce. 11-12 are weaklings besides the unusually attractive guy from 12.

" Well Dawn and Titus this is your competition this year, let their faces be wiped off the face of the earth because we deserve a winner this year." I smile she has faith in us, but I think it is leaning more for Titus him being huge and bulky. " I am tired when will we be in the Capitol?" " In a day or so depends on how many times we stop for gas." I yawn and get up and go to my room but before that I catch a glimpse of Titus a tear rolls down his eye and I think he is as afraid of the Hunger Games than I am, but I don't show it. " Hey." He turns around and blinks the tear away quickly. " Yeah." " Do you have a token?" I ask. " No I don't have anything all I have is my personality. I see your though that's worth a fortune but you don't sell it you wear it?" I nod " My mom gave it to my sister and she gave it to me, so it is has sentimental value." " I get it you have family that loves you." I nod. " Goodnight." " You too." Then I close the door and crawl into my bed and try to sleep but the only thing I do to make me sleepy is looking out my window and seeing the moon. The one I know so well yet it is so far away. I close my eyes and go into a slumber in which I wish I wake up in my bed and it was a dream, but it does not happen. I feel the warmth of the bed and force myself into a sleep and luckily it works and all I see it darkness.


	3. Tribute Parade

" Dawn get up we are in the Capitol!" Velvet shouts from outside of my door. I jump up and find a green shirt and some jeans. I quickly put them on and walk out of my room and to Velvet. " Hey good morning Velvet what are we doing today." She gestures to the big Capitol Building that stands in front of us. " Today is the Tribute parade." She grabs my hand and we walk towards the building and she talks along the way " As you know they dress you up in costumes representing your District, yours being 8 you are always beautiful with your multi-colored costumes." She smiles and looks around as we enter the building. I spot a big number 8 over a hollowed out area with our chariots and two pairs of double doors labeled 'Male Tribute' and 'Female Tribute'. " Do we go there?" I question her and she nods along and goes to see the chariots. I enter the door label 'Female Tribute' and find my stylist. She is a tall pale Capitol citizen with green and red stripes corresponding with her gold eyeliner. She has purple lips and bright yellow eyes, must be some Capitol surgery to do that to human being. " Hello I am your stylist Jewel." " Hey so what am I going to be wearing?" She looks through her notes and crosses out multiple ideas and some for the next year. " I will tell you when you see it." She leaves the room get a blindfold and some cloth to create the outfit. I close my eyes and wait for the longest time until she lets me open them. " Okay now." I open my eyes and see myself in the mirror except she doesn't look like me. This person's green eyes are more vivid and shown and red hair glows with a faint light given off by it. The dress I am wearing is not multi-colored it is one color evergreen green. I do look beautiful and my token, the District 8 seal in solid gold, stands out from everything. A tear rolls down my face. I whisper " Thank you." She nods and guides me to the chariot. I know my costume is not very special but it is to me. My District is so shown off in this costume and I don't want to Panem to overlook that. I get up in the chariot and see Titus wearing a plain tuxedo but it is evergreen green just like mine, which sticks out of the crowd and I think that was intended.

The chariot starts to go in motion and I only get a glimpse of other costumes like 1 they are covered in jewel on a yellow jumpsuit. 2 are blacksmiths but they look sexier making a bigger appearance than they should. The rest I saw are just memories now and I realize the chariot but likely it had just started and we just left the stables. I look around and the Capitol Citizens are cheering and I know that some of them are for us and the more we go along the more the looks but still not as enough as the Careers. Then finally we are in the Town Circle and we are gathered around President Snow. " Welcome welcome tributes Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." He announces to all of Panem. Our chariot then rolls into a building were we will be living in. " You did amazing Dawn and Titus." My stylist says but Titus's stylist is distant even though he doesn't even care what we did anyway. Velvet, Cecelia, Jewel, and Titus's stylist guides us to our floor which is 8. The elevators go so fast I blink and we and almost there. Everybody walks out of the elevator and I observe the beautiful room with riches galore. " This is your room for the days in the Capitol like for the Training Center and Private Sessions." Velvet says to Titus and I. The room is so full of riches all the furniture has at least crystal something on it. " Tomorrow will be the day we visit the Training Center and train before the Games to make you have a better chance, the only thing nice they do and it isn't even enough." Cecelia growls out and then she goes to her room and I can hear her fall asleep instantly, how did she not die by snoring in the Hunger Games? " You guys should get some rest if you want to be awake when you have a weapon in your hand." Velvet says to us and I then head to my room. My room has golden floors, walls, and ceiling and in the interior is a velvet rug handcrafted by my District, I know because that was the only time something this expensive was sent to us. The bed is on a sorta pedestal because it is higher than the ground but not by much, even though I get up and snuggle inside it and drift off to sleep. And this is the first time I let myself sleep without worrying about home, and I like it that way.


	4. Training Day

I awake in my beautiful bed and look around my room. Today is Training Day no doubt because a jumpsuit with a red and white line on the arms, side of the torso, and along the legs. I pick it up and is surprising soft and when it is on me I can feel it is also easy to move around in. After walking around to see what it can do and not I check the time. It is 9:36 I know it is early but I go into the sitting room to find Titus, maybe he also wants to get to the Training Center early as well. " Morning sunshine." He smiles and I respond " Oh be quiet we both know today is important so we should just follow our schedule." " Wow just wanted a conversation, I kinda don't want to always talk about the Games you know." I don't know what he means we are in the Capitol why should we talk like nothing horrible is happening. " Whatever, where is Cecelia?" I turn around and search the area but I find no trace of her. " She is downstairs in the Training Center talking to the other mentors, they seem to be friends bonding on Hunger Games related topics only." I am about to question his knowledge of that but I don't it doesn't matter. " I am going downstairs you can join if you want." I get up and head to the elevator and he follows. I press the button called 'Training Center' and we go down, but not before we stop at floor 5 and 9. The ride to the Training Center itself is not bad it's the people who are. Both from 5 seem to be arguing over some sort of bet they made before the Games. Then the boy from 9 and Titus talk but quickly turns to threats and I almost scream shut up but I withdraw that option. The only person who wasn't a complete pain was the girl from 9 who is quiet and cunning especially how she can disappear from any situation. When the elevator finally goes to the Training Center the Careers are already there.

The male from 1 is huge and he has dirty blond hair and dark blue eyes to contrast with his peach skin. The female is not big but is definitely strong she has long brown hair and hazel eyes and pale skin. The tributes from 2 both have brown hair but that's where the similarities end. The guy has dark black skin and green eyes with yellow flecks, which creeps me out, he is very muscular even though he is 18 he is bigger than everyone in my District. The girl has peach skin, sky blue eyes, and is not very big but she is a girl they don't specialize in that but she looks strong. Then there is her creepy smile that gives me chills down my spine and back up. They are in a group around a chain fence with separate us from the Training Center because all the tributes must me here for the Gamemakers to open the door, because everyone needs a 'fair chance.' " Hey look at the girl from 8."The boy from 1 laughs that out instead of saying it. I turn around and he is right behind so close I jump back into the guy from 5. The Careers laugh as I say sorry to the boy. " Oh shut up." I shout then their faces turn to a confused look, I immediately regret that decision. " You got some guts to say that to us, but later I am going to be stabbing you right in the gut." His face turns to a evil grin and they all laugh. Then I get saved by Titus. " You know that when she wins and you are bleeding to death she will be the one laughing over you." I never knew Titus would stick up for me like that, I always thought he was just a clueless tribute like most of them are. They all stop laughing and they turn serious. " What makes you say she will survive that long." The girl from 2 says. " She is not an idiot who would die early in the Games she has a fighting chance." I never felt so good in a long time and I know it will end soon but I might as well listen while I am still alive. " You know what I don't care what you say. When we go into the arena your my target you hear me." I know he is not talking about me he is talking about Titus, he has confidence that they want to break. It takes about 20 minutes for everybody to arrive. Then they finally open the gate and the Careers, of course, cheer because they get to practice murder.

I look around and see some stations that catch my eye eatable plants, knife throwing, knot tying, and fire making. I walk over to the eatable plants for an 45 minutes and now know the difference between poisonous and safe to eat. That station probably saved my life because I didn't know how many plants where poisonous, when I took the test I got a 100% but that was after I crammed a bunch of facts into my brain. I then head over to the knot tying station. It is preferably easy because it is just tying knots for a long period of time but I do learn a lot. I was only at that station for 45 minutes when I leave and go onto the next. Fire making is very difficult for me. I don't know what to do and I try to learn. It takes me around 25 minutes to start a fire and from there it gets easier. The next 20 minutes are not as hard but I do improve dramatically from before. I did learn a lot but I soon stop and head to the knife throwing station. Since I had personal experience before it is a cakewalk. The knives are light and easy to handle so when I throw it I get remarkable results. The first 10 throws I get a bulls eye every time besides 1 time. The next 10 is better all bulls eye and I feel good about that. I keep throwing until it is time to eat and after that we are done for the day. I get my serving of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and some vegetables. I look around at the tables and I sit with the tributes from 10. They don't seem to mind when I sit down with them and we start to chat. The girl has long brown hair, green eyes, and peach skin. The guy is quite large for a guy from an outline District but he has short black hair, hazel eyes, and olive skin. We talk for a while and then I ask for them to be in an alliance. They both nod and say " Yeah sure we would be honored." I smile and ask them if I could add Titus in our group. " Oh she doesn't know." They both look at each other and I question them. " What do you mean ' She doesn't know.'?" They start to frown and I know this is not good news. " Titus made an alliance with the Careers earlier." I almost break down with sadness and confusion. _He just stood up for be and threatened their lives, why would he team up against me and with the Careers?_ " Well that is some news." I blurt out. " I know I am not supposed to be attached to him or anybody but why would he do that?" They shrug and continue eating their food. " Since he won't join us can we have another addition to the group?" They nod along and I walk away to the District 9 table.

" Hello what is your name?" I ask the girl tribute. She quickly looks up examines me and then responds. " Willow, why?" I need to keep that in mind. " Well me and the tributes from 10 want to add you into our alliance." She thinks about this for a second and then nods " Yes I would." She smiles and then eats her food. I head to the 10 table and tell them the news. " Since we have a new addition to the group I didn't catch your names, what are they?" " Mine is Fiona and his is Zachary or Zach for short." I get a lot of progress today and hopefully I will the next day but everybody is dismissed to their floor and escorted into the elevator. All the tributes from 1-6 get into the elevator. Since the elevator is only so big its carrying capacity is 12. While the elevators ascends upwards I go to Titus. " So how are the Careers treating you." He turns around fast and has a worried look on his face like I wasn't suppose to know that. " Why would you do all of that for me then do the opposite?" He just makes excuses and then says " Lets talk about this tomorrow okay?" I angrily agree but don't lose my grudge. When the elevator comes back down we all go inside and go to our District floors. I don't need to wait long enough for us to get to our floor. When I get out of the elevator I half run half walk to my room and slam the door. I almost burst into tears but I hold them back trying to be strong. The tears are not jut Titus's betrayal but for everything the Hunger Games the leaving of District 8 and hopelessly trying to reconnect with my loved ones so far away. I dash to the window to find a balcony behind it if you find the handle correctly. I sit on the balcony overlooking the Capitol with all the horrors of the Games started. I stay there for the longest time and turn my token over in my hand constantly. I eventually get up and go to my bed and snuggle inside. The last thing I see is the moon so clear and bright in the night sky, is that the same one back home? I know it is yet it is my only way to reconnect with my past. I slowly drift to a sleep that I find comforting with that of today, I just want today to end and another to start. With that in mind I fall asleep.


	5. Private Session Scores

As the days of training fly by my grudge on Titus only grows and I don't intend for it to shrink. For the past few days I did the same  
thing I did the first day, but I did pick up on hand to hand combat. As I get out of bed I see the jumpsuit because today is the day  
for the private interrogation. I am scared about today because I am still not sure on what I should directly do to impress the Gamemakers.  
I stress out and narrow it down to knife throwing. I look around to see the time but I can't find it. I walk out of the room and wait in the sitting room to see Titus is already there.  
" Hey you scared about today?" He asks me but I am not sure if it is of concern or to mock me.

" Fine, how about you career?" He frowns at that and doesn't say anything after that but I want something out of this.

" Come on say something you traitor!" I am screaming now and a tears are rolling down my face and I don't know why anymore maybe it is because he stabbed me in the back and I wish to do that right back to him, literally.

" Can we just go to the Training Center and finish this." I ask wiping away the tears. He nods and we enter the elevator.

We don't talk the entire time we are in the elevator and I don't intend to. When we finally reach the floor every single person is already there, waiting for us to arrive. They look at us for a second and then back at the closed gate. There is a television to say the tribute and their district so they know when they are being called. I sit down next to Titus, because I have no choice we need to sit next to our tribute partner. I find out the names of the Careers, the boy from 1 is Klive and the girl is Diamond. The boy from 2 is Tucker and the girl is Pine. I wait and wait until finally my name is called and I am shaking like a leaf. I try to keep myself sturdy and it doesn't work. I walk through the gate and see the Training Center is empty of life besides the Gamemakers. I calm myself and walk towards the throwing knives. The knives are so light and small so easy to maneuver.

I pick up the knives and turn them over and then turn towards the Gamemakers. They are watching me, maybe because I am only the 15th tribute they have seen and as always, the Careers gave them a good show. I then turn back around and grab the knife. I throw them at many different targets that show up out of nowhere. They all land right where the heart would be, and I am glad. When I finish and take them back I look at the Gamemakers who are obviously drunk, besides the head Gamemaker, Cole Breakspear. He examines me up and down then starts to talk.

" You may be released Dawn." He shouts so I can hear him clearly.

I nod and walk out of the room and catch a glimpse of Titus, his face filled with fear and drained of blood. I like that. I am heading to the elevator when somebody says my name, it's Titus.

" Hey um you gonna wish me good luck?" He says while now everybody looks at me.

" Fine, good luck Career Titus." I stomp over to the elevator and as it closes I see he is now crying. He is crying because I hold a grudge against him and he wants me to forgive him, he probably should have thought of that before he made that decision. It goes up and I let me emotions come through this time to not hold back, I start crying and bashing the walls of the elevator at the same time. I am mad and sad and it does not mix. I am mad because he said all that good stuff about me yet he betrayed me and went with the Careers. I am sad because he made the choice to go with them to a killer that has no heart, does he regret that? The elevator reaches my floor and I head to the couch and sit next to Jewel, across from Velvet, and beside me is Cecelia.

" So how did the Private Interrogation go you look like they kind of broke you?" As she says that I wipe away the tears and respond.

" Fine I guess, I used throwing knives the entire time." She nods and we wait for Titus to arrive.

It takes about 10 minutes of chit-chat when he finally arrives. I don't know what he did to impress the Gamemakers and I might never get to know but if I ask he can't say anything, all things in the Private Session can not be said. Then I realize I just told everything I did to Cecelia so I think Titus should tell me what he did.

" So what did you do for them?" I ask him.

" Why would you want to know." He answers in a harsh tone and he chews up some salad Velvet ordered up.

" I know I was being mean and you were being, well you but I want to know what you did." I say but he sighs.

" Fine I threw some spears around at things in the Training Center with a target or resemble human characteristics. Now what about you Dawn." He answers my question with another question and an answer.

" I threw knives around until they told me to go." He nods of approval, even though why do I need his approval I can't redo the Private Session.

We all stop talking and go to the Capitol channel to see if the scores were in the already, sadly they weren't. Since we are District 8 we need to wait at maximum 2 hours if that. I can't stress enough how much I want to see my score and get the rest of the days over with. I am not a patient person so when we need to wait I can only do something to not jump out this window out of boredom. Wait have tributes ever just jumped through this window to not die a bloody death? Whatever doesn't matter so I just go to my room and head to the balcony overlooking the city. The Capitol is as pretty as people say, bright lights, colors of different kinds on every poster, and so classy that every District looks practically like garbage. And that is all we are to them garbage or new tributes that once get torn away from their home they die and never be remembered.

I overlook the city and look around. Why do they get 3 meals a day, money, power, and watch people die for the fun of it. These Games have changed people and not matter what either you get physically scarred or mentally scarred. I watched the reapings of past victors and everything in the middle. In the beginning they are scared then later on build walls so nobody can touch them, then they win and lose their sanity by watching 23 people die and they been spared. I am still looking out over the balcony when I come back to reality. I turn back and change into a nightgown then return to the sitting room where everyone is gathered. As I sit down Velvet puts the Capitol channel on we watched just in time because Caesar Flickerman is just introducing himself.

" Welcome citizens of Panem to the Private Session trainign scores. As always we will start from District 1 all the way to 12, boy being first. Now lets get right down to it shall we." He chuckles and get out his cards containg a name, district, and number.

I get paranoid and my hands get sweaty but I wipe them away to stop it but I continues. This is the moment where I will find out if I will get some sponsors or not. I look around and see Titus , just as scared as I am. We both know how important this is and we don't want it to go horribly.

" First up District 1, Klive Spike with a score of 10. Diamond Gemstone with a score of 9. Tucker Silver with a score of 10 and Pine Natu with a score of 10."

I don't watch some of the rest because they are not going to be a problem anyway. I only listen to District 4 who is Gads Morrison and Eva Hughs with both the score of 10. The ones after are not important but then my District is up and I am shaking and Cecelia literally needs to hold be down to stop it.

" Now District 8... Titus Crow with a score of 9." After that everybody screams out compliments and encouraging words and I get so scared it's not even funny.

" Dawn Lockheart from District 8 with a score of 11." I get dizzy and faint.

An 11 that to our District is unheard of. I didn't do much but I guess Cole Breakspear gave a shine to me I didn't see. I get up after Velvet wakes me up and I smile bigger than I ever did in my entire life. Everyone is yelling and screaming good notes, compliments, and encouraging words, just like Titus's score reaction. Even though I don't expect it he even joins in. After that I don't listen to the rest I am just filled with emotions I can't explain. When the scores are done it is 9:45 and we all get some rest because tomorrow is the interviews then the Games. I almost faint again when I realize how close I am to my ultimate death. This night I let all the problems I had the past few days settle on me tonight. All the questions about home and their reactions and everything I pushed form my mind every night I give myself one of these nights, it might be the last one I ever have anyway. I am drifting into a sleep when I barely open my eyes and see the moon. The moon I know so well from my home, is this the same one? I know it is but it is the only thing I have left of my home, well besides my token. I then stop looking at moon and shift to my District seal made of gold, my token. I turn it over and over until I see something interesting. There is a graving in the back in small but still readable print that says **_Good luck Dawn we love you - Mom._**

I almost burst into tears and don't but I let them roll down my face at a slow, but steady rate. I don't know how long I cry but long enough to make me drift into a sleep that is surprising peaceful because, my dreams are of home. It it my home, my house and my life that fills my dreams and I know this is a dream and not real, but it feels real. And I like it that way.


	6. Interviews

It is 3:53 A.M. and I am not sleeping, I am awake. More specifically on the floor in the hallway with all the lights turned off, except one slight light in the sitting room that is blue. I slowly get up to not wake anyone but, somebody is. Cecelia and Titus sit in front of each other on the couches.

" What are be suppose to do?" Cecelia asks him in a cold tone.

" I don't know what to we need to find out how we get rid of it." Titus replies in a harsh tone, why are they talking like that?

" Dawn is a target, you need her out of the Games you understand? How are you going to do it?" I can't believe Cecelia just said that!

How am I a target, yes I got an eleven but so what. Titus is bigger than me and more sneaky obviously he proved that. I am still not sure if I am hearing this right at all. I thought Cecelia liked me, I didn't really talk to her but I wasn't mean. Wait a second. Is that why she asked about my session even though it is against the rules? I am still shaken by all this, Cecelia and Titus are planning to kill me.

" I know her strengths but not her weaknesses, maybe we can slip that into a conversation this morning at breakfast." Cecelia nods of approval, that bitch!

" Good to know very good information. You know that today is the day of the interviews? Well win over the crowd and when she goes tell her horrible advice that ruins her image." Cecelia says that then quietly laughs, but Titus tells her to hush down.

" Okay good talk Cecelia lets meet up tomorrow morning say... 3:45 A.M." Titus whispers to her then gets up and goes to the bathroom while Cecelia goes to her room.

Cecelia's room is at the other side of the apartment so when Titus goes to the bathroom I can quietly sneak out into my room. I see him turn the light on when I quietly open the door and I dread if it creaks. It doesn't creak so I go into my room and close the door and tip-toe to my bed. I snuggle up inside it and automatically can feel its warmth compared to the hallway floor. It takes me some time to get drowsy but when I do I sleep instantly.

I get up and out of my bed and see the time, it is 11:37 A.M. I see the blue shirt and black skirt on my dresser with a note attached to it. _Interviews start at 5:00 don't be tardy :) -_ _Velvet. _It seems now that Velvet and Jewel are the only people I can trust, I never thought they would be of use. I am putting the skirt on when I hear a knocking at the door.

" Hey wake up sleepy head!" Titus calls from the outside of the door.

The traitor that is planning to kill me is right now playing an act. Two can play at that game. I finish getting dress when I open the door and start acting like I don't know he is planing to kill me.

" Hello Titus what are we doing today?" I ask him because I actually don't really know besides the interviews.

" Well Cecelia is suppose to ask us about what we are trying to pull of in the interviews, then well the interviews at 5:00." He states as he walks to get some breakfast, and I follow.

An avox serves me fresh red apples, yogurt, scrambled eggs, and milk. I finish everything besides the milk when Titus speaks up.

" So what are you going to do to win over the audience? I have some advice if you need it you know." He is playing a game that I won't participate in.

" Don't need advice and won't tell you." I smile back as I am drinking my milk.

He has a confused look on his face but I just ignore him and finish my milk. I get out of my chair and see Velvet exiting the elevator.

" Hey Velvet what are we doing today?" I ask her because I am not trying to bring conflict with Titus.

" Today is the interviews so go meet up with Cecelia so she can plan your strategy." She guides me to where Cecelia is sitting them goes to eat some food.

I am in a room with sky blue walls and white marble floors. There are red couches and a wooden table in the center between the couches. Cecelia gestures to the chair and I sit down.

" So today is the interviews. I am here for you to think up your plan to win over all of Panem. You can be sexy, fierce, smart, quiet, and so on. Now the point is which one are you most familiar with?" I know she suppose to help but she just wants information on me.

I already know what I am going to be for the interviews. I am going to be courageous and at times funny. I volunteered for my best friend at the reaping and am now got a hit on me. I will not mention that Titus is a complete backstabber so I will say ' I feel like some people have it out for me.' then make a joke like ' So many fans already right.' I know it is not full proof but if it gets me sponsors I won't complain. That's when Cecelia comes in, she will be telling all of this to Titus so I will give her lies and he will get the wrong answer.

" I will be quiet and only talk when asked a question. I hate talking and blood I am such a wimp I cry when I see a spider." That is all a complete lie nothing it true, I am used to blood because I watched the Hunger Games before.

" Good that will be you many sponsors, it might not seem like it but it does." She smiles and I know she is trying to manipulate me right now like what I am doing is right.

I know that quiet gets you nowhere. Years ago the boy from 3 was so distant even Ceasar avoided talking to him, the awkwardest moment in Hunger Games history. That tribute ended up winning but had no sponsors, even after he was almost burned alive he had to get that form the feast. So no she is wrong but again is playing me like a puppet, I won't take that from her.

" That is all so bye." I get up and leave the room and I can feel the confusion she has right now.

As I arrive in the hallway I shove Titus in the room and close the door. I go to the couch and take a nap. Even though I wake up at 4:21 Titus still is talking with Cecelia. I wonder what they are doing but I don't question it I will soon find out. I look around and see Velvet is pulling me up.

" Come on get up we need to get ready for the interviews. We need the costume you will wear and we have a big selection of the dresses." Velvet says as we are entering the elevator.

Instead of going to the Training Center we go lower and see doors with many different labels. I search the area and find the door labeled: _District 8 female. _And I walk through the doors and see Jewel sitting on a couch drinking water.

" So you are here to make me pretty?" I ask but she shakes her head.

" I am here to make you stand out from the rest of them and make an impression." She states as she presses a button and out comes hundreds of dresses.

I search through the dresses and I see only one that I like and doesn't look like Capitol citizens would wear. The dress I pick out is an evergreen dress with a slight jacket made of black silky, soft fabric. As I put the dress on Jewel has a tear in her eye. I look in the mirror and see how beautiful I look. My not long but not really short red hair stands out and make me more radiant. My green eyes go with my dress and my pale skin clashes together to make an impression on me, and I already know myself.

" You look so beautiful." Jewel blurts out and she then claps her hand over her mouth because that is apparently to much.

" Thank you, I really needed this." I meant that because with my bounty I need some love from the crowd.

" You need to get in the line for the interviews it is starting in 5 minutes." Jewel then guides me to the area where some tributes are lined up at.

I stand in the line and look around at other tributes. Klive has a sparkling red suit that is more blood red than anything, that stylist contrasted him correctly. Diamond is in a sky blue sparkling dress that at the edges is an outlined yellow flakes swirling in the blue. Tucker is in a stunning dark blue suit that makes him look about 2 times prettier. Pine is in a steel colored dress that when at the end is turning into a moon like texture. Gads wearing a golden suit with the interior as the sun making him shine. Eva is in something different, dressed in a dress that seems to be multiple nets interlocking each other at a close range so when the small gaps are present there is a blue fabric there to cover her up. I don't bother with the rest as I wait for the rest to file in. It takes around 6 minutes when everybody is here and we start going.

" Hey nice dress." I hear that voice behind me and know it is Titus.

I turn around and see him in a white silky suit that looks like he is in a cloud when it is on. I just compliment him and turn back around. I see a t.v. in the corner of the room that shows what the tributes are doing in their interviews. Klive is fierce, Diamond is sexy, Tucker is bloodthirsty , Pine is hungry for blood, Gads is flirty, and Eva is funny. I have saw many interviews of Careers through the years and they are almost identical, besides the funny girl from District 4. Time ticks away faster than I like it to be and soon enough the guy from 7 is going. I am nervous but I suck it all up and have short breaths to calm my nerves, sadly it doesn't work. The guy is leaving and he gestures for me to get ready. I pace around in circles as Caesar Flickerman calls my name onto the stage.

I turn around one last time and see Fiona, Zach, and Willow give me a thumbs up and I smile. I ignore Titus and start walking towards Caesar. The thumbs up from my teammates gave me courage to sit down and start this interview.

" Hello young lady what is your name?" Caesar asks me as we sit down.

" Dawn whats yours." Everybody knows his name so I smile and he starts laughing.

" Good one Dawn. Now lets get right down to it." Caesar says and I nod along.

" First thing love the outfit who is your stylist?" He asks.

" Her name is Jewel she is great." I say to him.

" She should get a promotion for that you are gorgeous." I blush for the crowd and for me because that was nice.

" Okay chit-chat aside I need to ask you a personal question." He clasps his hand around mine and kisses it. " None of us expected you to take that girls place, wait what was her name again."

" Her name is Jenny my best and only friend from my District. I volunteered for her because I know she would break down here and never come back to reality. If I died in the arena she wouldn't have to." As I finish that off the audience gives me some sympathy.

" Well that is some heartfelt news you have said to us, we wish you the best of luck." The buzzer goes off and he clasps my hand and brings it up.

" Dawn Lockheart." He shouts and the audience cheers me as I walk away and Caesar's yellow costume and hair catch the light and I am almost blinded by it as I leave.

I step down from the stage and go backstage to Velvet, Cecelia, and Jewel. They are laughing and talking about how great I was and so on.

" That was just fantastic Dawn I really mean that." Velvet whispers in my ear.

I want to go to the apartment but I stay and watch Titus's interview. He starts out as 'the guy who volunteered for a loved one' but as the interview went on he became a killing machine making others pay for his mistakes through the sacrifice of death. I can't even comment on that besides one thing _That escalated quickly. _

Titus comes backstage after his interview and has a horrible smirk on his face. I don't even look at him and then we head back to our apartment. We are in the elevator going up for a short while but in that short time I realize something horrible. _Tomorrow the Games begin. _A chill goes through my body and I can't even stand, I lean on the wall for support. We reach our room and I cling on to Jewel because the thought make me go weak. I limp over to my room and quickly open the door and shut it. I don't want to go into the Hunger Games and now it is closer than ever. I put on a nightgown and walk to the balcony. The night before the Games and there is so much commotion. I hear sirens and loud noises, even though I wanted quiet. I stand for one last moment to savor this, then I am gone. I snuggle up in my bed and drift off the sleep with one thought. _Let the Games Begin._


	7. Let the Games Begin

I am awake but not trying to be. The Hunger Games are today and I can't stop thinking about it. The Game is my obstacle in life, and I am determined to overcome it. I am lying in bed and staring at the ceiling planning my death. I look over my shoulder and see my clock. The time is 10:25. I know that Cecelia picked Titus as her tribute but I don't want to hear their plan again. The first, and last, time I heard them I almost broke down. I just can't hear them again so I decided to skip their plan. Even if he is the one that lost sleep on the most important night of our lives. I push myself up and go to the dresser and put on a jeans and a yellow shirt with a 8 logo on it. When I fell the soft fabric touch my skin I hope it is not the last time I will feel something like that again. I am now wearing the clothes and I see my token is missing. I search the room high and low and still don't find it. I am now stressing but I think in my head _Titus. _Then I walk out of the room and find Titus leaving his room. He nods at me and see a slight glimmer of light as the sun's rays bounce off my token in his hand. I speed walk towards him and snatch the item from his hand. He looks at me embarrassed and mad.

" You know if you can easily get stolen from you might try to be more alert." I say as I smile a devilish smile at him.

" I just found it I was meaning to give it to you." He lies, I know that was on my bedside table near my bed.

" Whatever, so how are you feeling?" He questions.

" Nervous how about you?" I ask him.

" Well nervous but also kind of glad. I just want this to be over with since the past days were torture." I who would say glad to fight to the death unless you are a Career, which he is now that I remember that.

I just give him a confused look and see Cecelia, Jewel, and Velvet all in a line right next to each other. Velvet and Jewel both look sad which is slightly reassuring but Cecelia looks happy. She is either happy because I might die or because Titus might win. As Titus heads over to talk to Cecelia I go to Jewel and Velvet and give each of them a hug. I never felt so scared in my life before, but Velvet and Jewel kept me going. Even though they never really did anything they were there when I needed it, that is what I appreciate.

" Velvet, Jewel I will miss you both so much. Will you be watching me?" I ask while tears form in my eyes.

" Yes we will every step of the way." Jewel says choking up with sadness.

" You know Dawn nobody from your District has treated me this well, most of them despise me." Velvet manages to say through her tears.

" Goodbye, I won't forget you." I whisper and then Cecelia pushed me toward the elevator.

I manage to get inside the elevator when Cecelia pushes the button. I turn around and watch as the doors shut and we fly up to the top of the building. Titus and Cecelia remain quiet but I know they picked favorites. When we are going up we stop at 9 and pick up Willow and her tribute partner.

" Willow are you afraid?" I ask her

" Not really I am a pretty positive person, but yes I am scared but not like mind boggling scared." She answers.

I don't know how she does it, be positive in this time. 23 of us are being sent off to our deaths and she is still managing a smile the whole way. While Fiona is funny Zach is a more serious person so Willow is the balance between us. I don't care if I win just as long as Willow does. She deserves it way more than anyone here. She lost her parents in the Hunger Games when her mom got pregnant and gave birth to her, it was the same day she was reaped at 17. Willow lacked a mother since her birth, her mom died in the Games and placed 8th but died by Tracker Jackers. Her dad was her father for only a year when he was reaped at 18. Her father though placed 10th, he only lived that long because of the sponsors he got from the 'dad' role. He died by the girl from 5, who sadly won. As the years went by she was an orphan in the local orphanage, which turned out to be a child labor factory of bread. She left the orphanage at 12 and lived with her friend's family for 3 years until she was reaped. So the question still lingers in my mind _'How is she always happy?' _

When I come back from La-La-Land we arrive at the ceiling with a gigantic hovercraft in front of us. I am starting to shake as I walk and I don't know how to stop it. Willow, Titus, and I wait as the ladder falls down letting us get into the hovercraft. Titus and Willow are climbing the ladder when I turn around and look at Cecelia.

" Cecelia."

" Yeah."

" Burn in hell."

Her jaw drops and I climb the ladder and flip her off before I am fully in the hovercraft. The walls, ceiling, and floor is pure stainless steel. They have windows but they are tinted so we don't know what the arena looks like. A female peacekeeper guides me to my seat and then asks for my hand.

" Give me your arm." She states.

" What is that?" I ask

" Its your tracker." She says as she pushes the syringe down making a light and beeping noise as it enters my arm.

It takes 5 minutes to get everybody with a tracker and final checks. After they make sure everything is safe we are flying. I try to look out the tinted windows but can't see anything but darkness. I am sitting right between the girl from 6 and the guy from 12. As it takes a while to get to the arena the Careers talk loudly about the bloodbath. They mention the weapons frequently and is pretty much a competition to kill the most tributes for them. I don't get why they have to win. I don't know why they train at the special academies. But I just brush it off because I will likely never end for them.

It takes a long time to get to the catacombs but we are then escorted to separate Launch Rooms in an under ground facility. I am escorted to the middle room and I can't even think because I am so stressed. As I enter the room I see Jewel wearing a green dress covered in sparkles and her hair is dyed green with some blue flakes, also her eyelashes and longer and a darker shade of green than the rest. The Capitol never stops amazing me with their style. I see she is carrying a hanger with a long black cover covering the uniform for the arena. She drops the clothes on the silver table and walks towards me and hugs me.

" Don't be scared." She says to me in a hushed whisper.

" I will try not to be scared but I can't promise anything." She giggles but then releases me.

" Just come back to us, Velvet and I really liked you here. We don't want you to die in there, even if we are Capitol citizens." That reassures me and I smile at her.

" Thanks." I say barely audible because I am on the verge of tears.

She walks back to the clothes that are being covered and she zips it down revealing the outfit. The outfit is composed of dimple tawny pants, evergreen plain shirt with a silky fiber, sturdy brown belt, and a thin hooded black jacket that falls to thighs.

" The jacket reflects body heat so I will guess it will have some cold nights." Jewel states.

She then hands me the boots that are soft leather and narrow flexible rubber soles, good for running. The boots are not big leather boots more like a ankle high which is over the white skintight socks.

When I am done putting the clothes on Jewel asks it feels comfortable. I walk and run in a circle and then sway my arms about. I nod and she grins a little bit.

" Okay so that is all unless you want to eat." I nod and shove my face with rolls, and other kinds of food in my mouth.

" Oh I almost forgot." Jewel says as she digs through he pocket.

In her hand appears my District token, they took it from me on the hovercraft and never returned it. She hands me it and I enclose it in my hand. This is the little piece of my home I have left with me. I put it around my neck and tears start to form in my eyes. I start thinking of my family and friends back home anticipating my arrival when the podiums arise from the ground. I blink them away and wait until the voice calls me.

Nervousness turns to fear as I am process what might happen in the matter of minutes. I could be dead in 5 minutes and nobody would remember my name, just a name on a long list. I can't process my surroundings and I want to run. I want to break through the door run to the hovercraft and go home. When I die my remains will be shipped to my family, that is when I will truly be with them.

A pleasant female voice announces that it is time for launch. I start grabbing Jewel's hand for stability because I can't walk right. She directs me the the tube and positions me correctly as my face drains of blood.

" Say hi to me when you come back okay." She says to me.

I nod and wait for the metal plate to arise. I look at her the entire time until the late goes upward. I was standing but now I am on my knees trying to push the plate down, to reconnect with Jewel. It is a lost cause as her face disappears and darkness engulfs me with no light. I start slowing my breathing and calm down. All I can think about is what people in my District are waiting for me to arise. I fix my hair so that it falls down on my shoulders and some on my back. I am in the darkness for what seems like fifteen seconds as the plate pushes me out of the cylinder ,into the arena.

I finally escape the darkness of the underground cylinder to reveal the cornucopia directly in front of me. The sun blinds my vision for a moment but after that I can see the arena. Then I hear the legendary announcer, Claudius Templesmith, as his voice booms through the arena echoing around me.

" Ladies and gentlemen, let the Sixty-seventh Hunger Games begin!"

I finally get the chance to see the arena for what it is. There is a waterfall to my left and either a cliff or a downward slope to my right. Directly in front of me is the mouth of the cornucopia and the remaining area of the arena is an autumn forest with multi-colored leaves like yellow, orange, and red. Being from District 8 I know absolutely nothing about nature so any arena that is not a polluted factory would ultimately kill me. We are on a flat, open stretch of ground like a plain creating a circular area with no trees that makes up the cornucopia area.

There are weapons of all sorts on the ground filling inside the golden cornucopia. For the Hunger Games they provide water, food, medicine, and weapons to trick the tributes into going in the bloodbath. I am about to shrug off the cornucopia and head to the woods when at the corner of my eye I see a perfect set of throwing knives for the taking. I need them because if I don't go for it now I will never get them again. I look around and searching for tributes eyeing the throwing knives but, nobody looks at them. A sound of a cannon jolts me almost making me fall of the podium myself. I look around and blood and guts strewn everywhere. I knew who killed themselves, it was the guy from 12. When I was sitting next to him on the hovercraft he was going slightly insane. He was needing to move around so he was twitching. I guess the Games can have so much power over a person it changes them before it even starts.

After the hovercraft cleans his remains up I look up at the cornucopia and see a golden circle surrounding the amount of seconds we have until the Games begin. I have 10 seconds left.

_**10  
9  
8  
7  
6  
5  
4  
3  
2  
1**_

I sprint off the pedestal and run as fast a I can towards the knives. I reach the cornucopia before everybody else and I grab the knives and examine them. They are stainless steel metal for the blade and black handles all in a row, you can put them on the inside of your jacket and hide it there. Before I am able to put them away I see a person behind me in the metal of the blade. I dart around knife in my hand and launch it in their direction. The knife lands in the heart of the boy from 7, he falls quickly almost cracking his head on the ground. I steal my knife back and keep it in hand. When I look back around the bloodbath has begun. Tributes dying one by one as I reach for a green pack. I am about to take the pack when Titus is trying to get the same one as me. Our eyes lock for a second, but that second is over. I headbutt him and he falls to the ground. I grab the pack and swing it around my back and run towards the forest. I almost make it to the forest but a knife lands in my thigh, causing blood to trickle down my leg. I turn around and see Tucker with a long sword. He is stepping towards me stomping in my direction. I am about to let him kill me when Eva steps in.

" Let me take it from here." She says.

She has an evil grin when she stares at me. Tucker walks away and sprints toward the guy from 11. She carries the evil grin until he leaves then she stops. I am confused but I realize _she is not trying to kill me. _She gestures to the forest and I run towards it with me supplies, but I turn around and mouth the words ' Thank you.' She nod and goes back to the cornucopia.

I run until I can't feel my feet moving anymore. I then hear the cannons of the dead tributes, 11 cannons in total. The Capitol got what they wanted, blood. I see that night falls and I quietly check my stuff before the daylight disappears. In my pack I have a full bottle of water, 4 iodine drops, a bag of apples in a miniature freezer, dried steak, crackers, some rope, coals, a first-aid kit, and a sleeping bag. I am glad I got that pack because it contained great supplies. I then get a flashback of the bloodbath. I killed the guy from 7, I headbutted my District partner, and one of the Careers let me live. I feel my leg and pain surges through me as I touch my wound. I don't know what to use on the wound but I can tell from past Hunger Games, this wound is like nothing compared to others. I apply some ointment and add bandage as I put all my stuff back in the pack and continue walking.

I set up camp under a huge tree with a large pile of leaves so it provides cover for me. I am about to go into my sleeping bag but the anthem plays. Both from 3,5,7, boy from 9, boy from 10 or Zach, both from 11, and 12. I have survived the first day of the Games, sadly Zach didn't. I snuggle into my sleeping bag and think of where Willow and Fiona are. I surround myself in leaves to camouflage myself, I guess. A series of questions go through me. _What does my family think right now? How are they taking it? Will they forgive me if I win? _My eyes get heavy and I decide to get some sleep for the first night in the Games. My vision goes dark and I feel tired so I shut my eyes and let the hours fly by.


	8. Day 2

I awake from the boom of a cannon and wield my knives in hand just in case if they are near me. I look around and see nothing but trees. I take that as a wake up call and get up. I put all my items into my pack and start walking towards the Cornucopia, I need some information on the Careers. As I head to the Cornucopia I get a good look at the arena. The tree's leave of the beautiful autumn colors, the many berries bushes, the tiny animals that roam around in search of water. The arena this year is not a bad one, because usually they are either deserts or large forests. I remember one year an arena was so deadly it was nicknamed ' Hunger Games Hell.' but I can't remember the victor or year. There are sticks and twigs strewn all over the forest floor and if not that then leaves. I make a crunching sound at every step I take as I head to the Careers.

It takes me a while to get there but when I do I see the entire pack, besides both from 1, in the mouth of the Cornucopia. Tucker is sharpening his sword, Pine is eating an apple, Gads is applying a band-aid to his forehead, Eva is taking a nap, and Titus is taking some sips of water. I don't really know what I am actually here for besides listening for them. I am about to turn back around and start walking when a tribute catches my eye. It's the girl from 1, Diamond, covered in blood and mud. She is running towards then and starts shouting something.

" HE IS DEAD!" Diamond shouts and she starts to hyperventilating like crazy.

" What do you mean? Who killed him? Where were you guys?" Titus stands up and looks disappointed.

" I mean he died as in that was his cannon. I think it was the girl from 6 with her bow and arrows. And we were near the lake killing some fish for fun." She screams at him with much rage.

" Why didn't you kill her?" Tucker asks.

" She was to far away and to fast. Also I had to accompany him in his final moments, I have a heart you know." She is so filled with rage and sadness that screaming must be outlet.

They all start arguing about that and I turn around. A career died on only day 2, that is unheard of from Hunger Games history. I am walking but then start running until I am full blown sprinting. I don't care that Klive died I care about my alliance. When I heard that cannon I was so overcome with sadness and dread that Fiona or Willow might have died. I didn't want to live with myself if I let my teammates die without me by there side in their final moments. I stop to look around and see a shadow of a tribute. I don't want another death so I start sprinting so fast it make my entire body sore when I stop running away from whoever that was. I turn around with a knife in hand and see who it is. It's Willow. I drop the knife and lunge toward her and hug her wholeheartedly. She wears her usual smile as always. Her costume is almost identical to mine besides the color is of her shirt is red instead of green.

" Who was that cannon." She asks he with a hint of sadness, probably thinking it was Fiona.

" It was Klive not Fiona, a Career died how weird is that they never die this early." I say and at that moment I hear the anthem playing, showing his face in the sky.

A very short day as it seems today but I am just glad it is over. I am guided by Willow to her camp by the waterfall, where Klive died. I am paranoid that the girl from 6 is still here waiting us out and plannign our deaths in out sleep. But I know that after she killed a Career she might want to try to avoid conflict for a while. Willow is up in a tree when I was thinking of that girl from 6.

" How did you get up there?" I ask her trying to get a new way to sleep.

" Just grab the branches and pull yourself to the stop and position your feet on other branches. It is not that hard really." She whispers from the tree top.

I look up and start climbing towards her. I almost fall about 6 times but when I get to a stable branch I have a sigh of relief escapes me. I tie myself to the tree with some rope and push myself inside my sleeping bag. I look up at the branch above me and already see Willow sleeping. I try to do the same but I can't stop thinking about how I am suppose to kill these people. The Careers would be a stroke of luck. I would never kill Willow or Fiona ever. But both from 6 are somewhat not important they will most likely die tomorrow. I close my eyes and let my worries fly away. I am determined to win this not just for me. My family and everyone in my District is who I am going to win this for, not for Titus. Then he creeps into my mind and I am planning his death in my head. I push away my thoughts until nothing is in my mind. I shut my eyes and darkness fill my eyes and wind go through my hair.


	9. The Arena - Day 3

A humming. That is all I hear, and it echos through the woods. I almost jump down and think it is a tribute when I look up and find out, it was just Willow humming some song. I hear the crashing of water on the rocks near the lake, I hear the birds singing Willow's song, I hear the forest animals running around in search of food. It is peaceful. To peaceful. I know the Gamemakers are going to trigger some sort of disaster, but I don't know what.

I let that be the worst of my worries and try to get some more sleep but I decide it is best not to. My new top priority is escaping this tree and look for some tributes. I whistle a tone to Willow and she looks down with a smile across her face.

" Morning when did you wake up." She says in a energetic voice.

" When you started singing." She chuckles and starts to dig through her red pack.

" Hey what do you have in their?" I ask her with wonder in my voice.

" I have a bag of dried steak, an empty water bottle, night vision goggles, rope, and my sleeping bag." She sounds like she impressed herself when she said that.

" Well that is enough chit-chat we should probably get out of this tree." I nod and head down the tree, which is hard to maneuver by the way.

I land on a pile of leaves that cushions my fall, luckily. Unlike me Willow is scaling that tree like a pro. I don't know what she does in her District that gave her that advantage but I am not complaining. When she lands silently on the floor we start to walk. We don't know where we are going but it must be away from here.

Willow starts to sing and I almost hush her but it sounds so beautiful. I don't know where she has gotten that tone from, but it makes me forget that I am in the Hunger Games for a short while. The way she sings the song and goes smoothly insists that it was from her childhood.

" Where did you get that song you are singing from?" I ask

" In District 9 they has many grain factories, but there are some places in the District you can roam for hours. I would sing that song in the grain fields whenever I was sad." I nod continue walking as she continues whistling the song.

The song she is singing goes a little like this:

**_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_**

**_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_**

**_Lay down your head, and close your eyes_**

**_so when they open the sun shall rise_**

I didn't plan on where we were going but we eventually find a cliff overlooking a large body of water. It doesn't look safe at the slightest but I sit down and look over it, and just sit. I never had my chance of observing the beauty that they created for us tributes. I only allowed myself a few seconds and to then move on. I get up and wipe away the dirt from my pants and continue following Willow. Willow is walking for a long time but then randomly stops in place and turns around.

" What is District 8 like?" I get what she means but it isn't really bragging material.

" Well, there are factories everywhere and pollution instead of air. It is not much of a happy place but it is my home." She smiles, and it makes me feel better.

" District 9 is slightly similar. We have factories, but we have vegetation if there is no factory. There are fields of grain farther than the eye can see. It is truly home." Now this time I am the one that it smiling.

I dig into my pack and take out some apples. I half it so we have an equal amount of food. When I hand her the apples I see her weapon. Attached to her belt is a scythe made a stainless steal metal. Being from District 9 that is her advantage because you need a scythe to clear fields of grain.

I start to get sleepy even though it is not really dark, I climb a tree and take a nap. I don't get it how long I was sleeping but when I wake up the sun is lowering over the horizon. As the sun and the earth appear to be touching it makes the most beautiful sunset I have ever saw. Nothing but mockingjays that carry a song around the arena signifies that Willow is awake. I look below me instead and find her half sleeping and half singing.

It takes 20 minutes for her song to come to an end and the birds to stop repeating. I sigh and hear the anthem play. No deaths today, that means that soon the Capitol citizens will be bored. I slip my body in the sleeping bag and drift off sleep. Titus, my District partner, who I am suppose to trust is a part of the Careers. I know where they are and plan to manipulate them into some sort of trap. Whatever the case is I am going to make their presence here miserable. I am overcome with thoughts and plans that I don't even notice that I fell asleep.

Night falls. Tributes fall. Victors survive. I win.

* * *

**Hello guys hope you liked that chapter today. Sorry if it is slow or sloppy I am so tired it is 12:41 A.M! Well I just wanted to say that I am going to be making another Hunger Games story a little while between this one. I am going to make 5 new Hunger Games stories so stay tuned ( The stories will not be all at once it will be stretched out along a few months.**

** The Districts are going to be 5,6,9,10, and 12 ( not including 8 which is this story). I hope you read those ones as well. BYE :) !**


	10. Day 4

A hard wind almost blows me off the branch that I lay on in the tree. I am half-awake so when it keeps coming I just continue to swat thin air. Then I hear Willow below me yelling my name.

" Dawn!" She screams

" What do you want." I say grumbling.

" The Gamemakers triggered a disaster! A twister!" I jolt awake and my eyes widen as I quickly search the area of twister signs.

" Lets get out of here!" I yell back while putting up my supplies.

She nods and jumps down the tree landing in a huge pile of leaves. Fear is in my veins, not blood. As I summon up the courage to jump, the tree breaks in two causing me to fall with it. I scream at the top of my lungs and hit the floor with a loud _thud_. I quickly regain my feet and start running towards Willow. She stops and waits for me to catch up then starts running like there is no more land on this earth. I slog behind because I injured my foot by I push myself to the limit. At every step I take I let out a faint cry. I turn around and realize that the twister is almost close enough so I can touch it. I then dart back around and with all the energy I have left, I start running. I don't let myself stop until a scream escapes me. The boy from 4 is right in-front of me. He notices me like I am a pink alien in a field of flowers. He wields a spear shiny enough to see your own reflection.

" Oh you here to find Titus. Well that's to bad he is at the cornucopia with the Careers, guess you won't get to see your boyfriend." He laughs obnoxiously and I am filled with rage.

" He isn't my boyfriend and second of all you won't get to say you killed me either." He looks confused, and I take my chance.

I dig into my jacket pocket and find my throwing knives. He realized a second later what is happening, a second to late. I throw it at his right towards his heart, a fatal blow. He moves out of the death blow area and he jumps letting the knife land in his upper thigh on his left leg. He grins ignoring his pain and throws his spear at me. I duck and it whistles past my head, missing me by an inch. I bob my head up and throw another knife, fast, into his chest. This time he doesn't move and it stabs him. He looks at me with anger and falls to the floor with blood beginning to flow down his chest. His cannon doesn't fire and I watch as he screams and groans with agonizing pain. Since the twister is still brewing the Careers can't hear his agonizing death screams.

The twister dies down a little bit, enough for me to hear Gad's cannon fire. I then search through his supplies a spear, medical supplies, dried beef, crackers, water bottle, night-vision goggles, and extra jacket. I take his pack and spear and start running away from his dead body. I spot Willow in the distance and head towards her.

" Hey I heard a cannon, who was it?" She asks as she looks around cautiously.

" Gads, the guy from 4, I killed him and got all his supplies." I show her the massive amount of loot I gained and her grins.

" We need to seek haven because the twister is still going on." I nod and we go start walking.

It only takes a short amount of time to find a cave. The stone cold walls of the cave give me a shiver down my spine. I go inside the cave and find only darkness. I get out my matches and lit them and grab a bunch of sticks and light them inside the cave for light.

" How many are left." Willow asks as I start to lay down.

" Lets see you, me, Fiona, Pine, Diamond, Tucker, Eva, and both from 6. So 9 left in only 4 days."

" By the way did you see Fiona I haven't seen her at all." I ask while I take a drink of water.

" Nope she might be hiding." She replies and a cannon echos around the arena, causing me to wield my knives in half of a second.

" Who was that?" I ask.

" Who knows." She says.

I think of the scenario where Fiona is dead and it is just me, Willow, the Careers, and both from 6. I push it from my mind and just gulp. I peek out the cave and see a lightning bolt aiming towards my face. All I do is freeze up.


	11. Lightning Trouble

" Dawn! Dawn! Oh god I hope you are still alive." I recognize that voice anywhere, it's Willow.

" Ugh. What just happen?" I ask as I lay on the cold, damp floor of the cave.

" Oh my gosh you are alive! I thought you died. It has been a while, but I never gave up because I never heard your cannon.

I am about to question what she says when it all comes back to me. The thought brings me back to a state of fear. A lightning bolt stuck me. I know that for sure. I must have gotten knocked out or even in a coma. This stuff is very unusual in the Hunger Games. The worst I have seen was a tribute a few years back literally burned with acid rain.

" Oh. Wait! Who died? How many? Is Fiona still alive? How many tributes are alive?" I ask with complete fear that all the worst answers might somehow come true.

" Gads and the boy from 6 died when you were passed out. 2 tributes died when you passed out. Yes Fiona is alive she is getting some water now. There is a total of 8 left." I sigh with relief and push my fingers through my hair, and when I feel my head is recognize blood dripping down.

" How did you find Fiona, and what day is it?" I ask taking a band-aid from the medical kit.

" When you got shocked she ran inside trying to find what the lightning hit, but instead found you. And today is I think day 6. You slept for 2 days."

I nod and Fiona comes in, with a sword wielded for protection. She has filled up our water bottles, and even killed a few rabbits on the way. I never knew I would find Fiona but luckily she didn't die like Zach did.

" Oh your awake! I was so worried. Here is some water it might make you feel better. Hey Willow can you hand me the medical kit please." Willow nods and gladly hands over the kit of medical supplies.

" I am afraid this isn't the medical supplies we need to treat her wounds. Dawn you got struck by lightning, luckily your stuff here but, it caused some damage to you entire body. If we don't get the medical supplies needed for your wounds, I am afraid you will only live until day 8, which is 2 days." When I take all that in she just tries to do the best with what she has right now.

I try to get up and show her that I am fine but, I can't move. Even after I eat a few apples and 2 cups of water I can't get 4 feet from where I am now. Watching the Games for all my life I never knew what I had would be so severe. As I look back on when my only problem was a knife in my leg, I would gladly trade this for 4 knives in my legs. The sun is setting and the sunset look heavenly. The orange sun leaving me by supposedly sinking into the surface. With my current situation al that has happen to me I don't know why but, I start crying. At least at first know it is crying my eyes out for what the Capitol has done to me, forcing my life to be cut short for their entertainment. Sick. I can't even imagine how my family back home is right now. I don't let myself think of my District hoping I will win and survive, but now I don't want to win. This pain and suffering that is happening can't be fixed. My survival is hopeless, along with District 8 having a victor this year.

Then I hear the familiar Claudius Templesmith's voice booming through the arena. I bet every tribute could hear it, it must be important. He hasn't started talking yet because the anthem of Panem is playing, and it isn't night yet so it can't be the tribute deaths. I use all the strength I have to drag myself to the opening of the cave, able to hear him better now.

" Attention tributes Attention. First of all congrats for surviving this long, the odds are definitely in somebody's favor. Now right back down to business. A feast will commence tomorrow at the Cornucopia, all of you need something desperately. The time will be at sunset, you can't afford to skip it." His voice comes to a close and the anthem tunes him out.

Then I realize, I need some medicine. I dart around and lock eyes with Fiona and Willow. Their faces relieved that I have a slim chance of survival now.

" I bet you that is my medicine." I say with a grin, yet Willow's face is frowning now.

" That might be true but something else can happen. Titus is still alive and from District 8. If he gets there first, which he might because he is apart of the Careers still. He can take that chance of survival and completely not know you are slowly dying." My grin stops and I tear rolls down my face.

" You know what. I won't let that happen. I will get you that pack if it kills me. I have made it this long just hoping one of my alliance members will win this year, and dammit there are going to have there victor. When night is about to turn to day I will wake you guys up and dash to the feast." Fiona says standing up proudly, I want to hug her because she just might save my life.

" Fiona I don't know what to say. You are willing to die just for me to live. Nobody I know would ever be that generous and kind. If we switched positions, I would gladly sacrifice myself."

" Okay it is night now we should get some rest. Don't want to be tardy for the party." Fiona says retrieving a sleeping bag from her orange pack.

I nod and push myself into the sleeping bag. As I am surrounded with warmth my eyes get heavy. All I see is the cave ceiling with water dripping down from it, it probably rained during the twister when I got knocked out. But know I am almost not able to move and can't throw my knives without screaming in pain. I suck it up and go to sleep, because now the Hunger Games will really begin when I get that medicine.


	12. Medicine Mayhem

" Dawn." Fiona whispers from the other side of the cave.

" What do you want?" I ask wanting to get more sleep.

" The feast will start, we better get going." She gets up an retrieves her ax from her pack.

" I might need to walk to get their you know."

" Oh you'll be fine." She says grabbing my hand and pulling me up.

" Shouldn't we wake up Willow?"

" Oh almost forgot! Thanks. Willow. Willow get up." She says still in a hushed whisper.

" What now? Is there another disaster?" Willow groans, obviously not wanting to wake up.

" No, it is just that we need to get the feast for Dawn." Willow is now on her feet and grabs her pack.

" Okay lets go." She smiles and they both help me out of the cave, carrying me.

They carry me out of the cave and into a patch of grass. I try to regain my feet and walk, but it doesn't come easy. It takes me a good 5 minutes just to stand up and walking is a whole different story. I can't move unless I want to scream 24/7. But I just power through it and continue to the Cornucopia.

" I have a question." I say in a whisper.

" Shoot." Fiona says like me, in a whisper.

" Why do you want that medicine for me? For you to win you need to see my face in that sky." She turns around and frowns.

" Because I know that I am not going to win. You our of everybody here the Careers, the girl from 6, your District partner, and Willow and me deserve to win. I don't want to win these Games and go home to nobody, and I think Willow also feels that way. You have a family home and a life to go home to and if I win this I will have no one besides the memory of you guys in the sky!" While she was talking she turned from whisper to screaming.

" Well you know what I don't want to see anybody's face in that sky and an anthem to correspond. Getting that medicine means certain death of any or all of us. Don't forget the fact that Titus is still here and could take my life away if he takes that bag! And I don't want to die in the Games without anybody remembering my story. I am the scared girl from 8, I have a family but I can't save them from what is happening, and for what? I don't want to die by Titus taking that bag and running away with my entire life story! What is the point of all of this? Tell me. To punish the Districts of Panem for what we did almost 70 years ago? Get over it Snow. You know what I can't take this! When my cannon fires Snow I will haunt you and make you pay for what you have done to me, and everybody here!" I am crying and screaming, but don't know how to stop from creating a ' accident' to occur and kill me.

Willow and Fiona look at me, shocked. Oh because I have an opinion? Wait. I can't let these Games change what they are doing to me and my allies. I look up at them, wipe away the tears, and start walking to the Cornucopia. They follow but don't say a word. We walk for a while until I realize something, I am walking but still have a sharp pain in my entire body. Birds fly past me, bunnies hop across a field, and a mild wind blows from my right rustling my hair. I find a pond of water and fill up my bottle and both Fiona's and Willow's bottles.

It takes a long time until we are on the outskirts of the Cornucopia field which now has some purple flowers sprouting from the floor. I turn around and Fiona is settled on a rock, sharpening her ax. Willow is humming that song and using her scythe to cut some small patches of grass out of boredom. I sigh and sink to the floor and lay my back on a huge boulder.

" Sorry how I reacted back there." I saw apologetic.

" It is fine I actually have more respect for you." Fiona says still sharpening her ax.

" What?" I say confused

" Well you have some guts. Spoke out for what you needed to say, nobody would risk that much for their own opinion." Fiona responds settling her ax down my the rock.

" Wow. Thanks. Wait when will the bags come up?" I ask getting up.

We all crouch and barely look over the boulder that is a wall between us and the Cornucopia. I see it right when it happens. The inside of the Cornucopia floor, which was grass, turns into a metal plate. After the metal plate transformation it opens up and a table appears with bags accordingly. A big bag labeled **1**, another big bag for **2**, a surprisingly miniature bag from **4** about the size of a can, a medium sized bag for **6**. The there is my bag, the size of a small cup of water, a small bag for Willow and another small bag for Fiona.

" This is our chance!" Fiona says excited.

" Lets go, on 3. 1...2...3." I whisper and we emerge from behind the boulder and dash towards our packs.

Wind hitting my face and a burning feeling in my legs, I really need that medicine now. My feet stomping on the ground and a knife wielded in my hand, clutching it with dear life. I reach my bag and quickly swing it on my back and begin to run back, when and arrow fly at my head. I duck at fast as I can, but the arrow barely grazes my head. I throw a knife at the tribute, girl from 6, but she is to fast and dodges it and already another arrow loaded. Her first shot was lucky almost hitting my head but this on finds my leg. I scream out in agonizing pain and filled with rage throw another knife, landing in her stomach. She stumbles back and falls to the floor, but has enough strength to shot her last arrow at me. It lands in my arm, luckily not my throwing arm. I hear her cannon and dash back into the Cornucopia for cover while I remove the arrows from my body. Since I am here I open my bag and find a syringe with a clear blue liquid. I inject it into my bloodstream, the pain almost instantly disappears. Relief covers me like a blanket, and it feels good. Oh dang it my allies!

I sprint around to the packs and examine them. The bag from 1,2,4,6, and 10 are still their. I steal the 6 bag and dash and on the side of the Cornucopia and find Willow with her pack. She sees me and her eyes dart from side to side when I turn around. Fiona is on the floor and Tucker emerges from the corner of my eye, mace in hand. I yell his name and he looks at me for a second.

" Oh is this your ally?" He asks while Fiona is scared to death, and I nod in answer.

" Well, you must be a complete idiot if you even answered to me." He screams while he looks down at her, with a smirk on his face.

Eva wields a trident from behind him and talks to Tucker. I can see him getting angry, not getting to kill someone. Anger fills his face and he pushes her down to the floor, stealing her pack from her hand. He opens it and entangles it, it is a net. Tucker darts around and throws it on Fiona and her eyes and my eyes lock. A mace trikes her head in a mere second. I scream and the lock she has on my eyes doesn't quit. Her cannon fires and tears roll down my face. Tucker and Eva dash away pick up the entire Career pack's packs after she died. I turn to Willow and her hands are covering her face and tears and rolling down them like a waterfall. I tap her arm and she wipes away the tears, and we begin running away from the Cornucopia.

Willow pulls ahead of me and disappears behind a tree when a hand grabs my leg, pulling me down. I dart around and instead of finding Tucker with his mace. I find Titus with a sickle in hand, positioned at me. He drags me to him and tries to stand me in the face, but I dodge it. I use all the strength I have to push him off of me but he just pulls me right back down. I take my throwing knife and attempt to stab him in his chest, but shoves me to the floor, hard. My temple streams with blood when my head collides with the floor. I kick him several times and regain my feet. I am about to run away when he pulls my hair and drags me to the Cornucopia's side. I pulls me up and throws me at the wall, hard. I could feel the hard ,cold, metal surface of the Cornucopia when my back penetrates it. He almost drives his sickle into my head but I duck and the sickle slashes the Cornucopia wall. Titus retrieves his sickle and puts it to my neck, but stops there.

" Looks like we have a show don't we?" He says diabolically

" Oh shut it Titus. Seriously what is your quarrel with me? I did nothing to you." He scoffs and face goes fierce.

" Nothing? You out shined me in everything we did. I could have never beat you in anything, so I thought just beat you at winning the Games." He says with rage in his voice.

" I know that. You want to know how? I was on the floor in front of my bedroom in the hallway that night. You met up with Cecelia during our time in the Capitol and chit-chatted about killing me. For all I care you deserve to die more than I do." His expression twists and his eyes dart to my neck.

" Nice token. What connection do you have with it? Either answer me or I slash your neck in a matter of a second and your body falls to the ground. Choose."

" Fine. My mom gave it to me even though the gift is my sister's, she wanted me to have it. What are you gonna do?" I say but he just scoffs again.

" You know what? Try and find it." He says, and he slashes the string keeping the token on my neck and he holds it in his hand and chucks it behind him.

" NOOO! You will will die a horrible death!" I scream and kick him in the crotch

He heels and the sickle makes its way away from my neck. I take that opportunity and take out of knife. I poise it at him, and let it fly. Taking like the wind, it lands in his left bicep. He falls down and blood quickly spread all over him. I grin with glory and remove the sickle from his hand. He cries out for mercy, but I ignore him completely.

" Here is a fact Titus. You can't beat me. I will always remain victorious." I grasp the sickle in hand and slash he throat in one final swipe.

His cannon fires and I cry out victor cries, even though I haven't won yet. I push myself up from the floor and walk away. A take one final look at his body, and laugh. There is no doubt everybody all over Panem is watching this. I skip over to Willow, who's jaw has dropped. I hear the sound of a hovercraft and turn around. There are 3 hovercrafts each with their destined tribute. I watch as the girl from 6 is lifted into the air. I sadly watch as Fiona's dead body is lifted into the carrier. Then when Titus's hovercraft arrives I don't even look at it. I turn around and sprint away. Away from the horror of the Games.

But running is no use to losing the horror the Games have created for me. I can't outrun it.


	13. Running Away

" Dawn!" Willow yells from behind me.

I turn around and she sighs. She has to be as scared as I am being only us and the Careers left what could we do. I don't know how either of us can win these Games, but I am determined to beat the odds, obviously I need to people from 8 don't naturally live this long.

" Sorry, I was just trying to forget that I just watched Fiona die is all." I say frantically looking around.

" Well so am I. And you and me both know that only one person is walking out of here, and it is going to be one of us." I never heard her so serious before usually she is happy, or just not sad like the rest of us.

" Okay,okay,okay we need to be serious. Now who is left again?" I ask opening my pack, not the one from the feast.

" Me, you, girl from 4, both from 2, and the girl from 1." She replies counting the numbers on her fingertips.

" 6 left. We need to go or before we know it our pictures will be in the sky." I say after closing my pack, I only grabbed some crackers and put them in my coat pocket.

She nods and we begin to walk away from the Cornucopia. As we leave it notice how the place got more dry. Leaves from day 1 looked normal, now they are shriveled up and withering. Not only that but most animals stop in front of us because they want to be killed. The Gamemakers probably made the arena hotter, making our days numbered. This is actually very common, probably like 95% they do this if not a place where it needs to be freezing 24/7. I remember a Game where the Head Gamemaker did this and killed 8 tributes by heat stroke, one lucky tribute didn't die by it and won.

I come back to reality and find our cave, but now it is in ruins. Rocks pilling on top of each other and crushing the ones at the bottom. I stand over it and move away some rocks to find very little of our supplies that we left behind. I scavenge a couple matches and dented water bottle. The stuff was pretty much useless of taking but I just didn't want any Career tributes walking by and taking the remains.

" Dawn," Willow says stopping in her tracks.

" What?" I ask snapping my fingers in front of her face hoping she isn't going into shock.

" Don't turn around." She says, now backing up.

I turn around slowly and start backing up. A bear. Actually I am wrong there are 4 or so. All have black fur and dark red eyes, searching for their prey. They are tall and large, not the best combo to outrun. They don't notice Willow and I, so we start to slowly walk away. I almost think we are safe when I step on a branch, and begin to roar. I then stop walking and start running as fast as I can away from them. I bolt with Willow at my side for what seems like 10 minutes until we can't go on. That is when they speed up after we slowed down, coming in for the kill. I grab my throwing knives and begin to attack. They don't do muuch but I am able to kill one and Willow, with her scythe, kills the other 2. Night has then consumed us and the anthem will begin playing shortly.

" Oh my god we killed them!" Willow says happy that we are still alive.

I am about to respond when a larger one hurrles at us. This on is bigger than the rest, and more angry. I know there is no way I could kill this thing in time, Willow must think the same. It is faster and bigger than us and is blood thirsty, and we are his next meal. I shriek and pull Willow to my side for our final moments. He doesn't react fast enough to charge at us after Willow was out of the way. He runs head first into the force field. The bear's body flies backward knocked off of his feet. The bear must have been strong because he was already up in a few seconds. He charges at us again and I know if we move it won't do much. So I just stand there waiting for death, when someone hurrles themselves in front of us, taking a deep bear claw to the chest.

I don't register who it is at this second and just think about killing the bear. I remember the sickle from Titus and start slashing the bear's neck. It takes about 5 swipes for the bear to go down but when it does, I am glad to be alive.

" Dawn, you might want to see this." Willow whispers and tells me to come to her side.

The body is now on the ground on top of a pile of leaves, breathing heavily covered in blood. It is challenge but I find out who it is, Eva. Even now she saves me but I still don't know why she does, and this might be my last chance to ask her why. I get some water from my pack and begin to pour some on her, rubbing away the blood all over her body.

" Why did you do that? You saved me time and time again, can you just tell me why you are doing that?" I ask with sincere in my voice.

" You deserve to win. Titus explained to us what he did to kill you, and I hated him so I didn't want him to get his way. I didn't want to kill people as well, only to save them." She says barely audioable and crying.

" I just wish I could have returned the favor." I say with teats building up in my eyes.

" You have to win." Eva says as tears break the blood and clean her face.

" I will." I say as I hug her blood covered body.

She smiles when I release and I do as well, with tears dripping down my face. Her cannon fires, and I stand up. I look at Willow and she seems confused. I just walk away from Eva's body as the hovercraft comes down with the claw. She is lifted into the air with the others, just memories now. That is all they become to be, and all they are now. Every picture in the sky, every cannon boom, every shriek, just becomes something we all forget. For the Games has done something worser than kill 23 innocent children, they break 23 individual families. More and more tears flow down my face like a waterfall, and I don't hide it.

The anthem starts to play as usual and I see the people that fly by. Eva from 4, girl from 6, Titus, and Fiona, who are all now spirits hovering above their families who mourn for their loses. I sit back down next to the bear and retrieve my sleeping bag from my pack. Willow does the same and when we lay them out, we start sleeping. The cold breeze makes me glad I have a sleeping bag. The Gamemakers seem to be making it hotter in the afternoon and colder at night. I ignore it as my eyes start ot get heavy, and darkness fills my eyes and I fall asleep.


	14. Update Stuff

**Hello viewers! Sorry for not updating for the longest time! But I recently witnessed a horrible event at my school. I need to be supporting that person right now because of what just happened to them. I am not allowed, by my school, to tell you guys that information so I am just here to say, Sorry for not posting. Just check in often because I hope to squeeze in the next chapter, but right now that is not possible. Bye!  
**


	15. The Cannon

** Hello readers, back with a new chapter of Dawn Lockheart. The problem at school that I mentioned in the last chapter, has gotten a lot better, so I now have enough time in my day to post a chapter. Hope you enjoy this chapter today! And may the odds be ever in your favor.**

* * *

I wake up to the smell of fire, but not just fire. A burning fire. I jolt up from my sleeping back and notice the large inferno that is heading my way. I pack up my stuff as quick as I can when I hear a shriek. Skin crawling horror scream that is common in the Hunger Games. That scream wakes Willow up in a second.

"What was that?" She asks in the darkness of the night, I guess the Gamemakers won't let us sleep anymore.

"The finale." I say in cold, dead words, helping her pack her stuff up quickly.

"We need to get out of here, and fast." I nod when I hear the sound of a cannon, booming around the arena.

"Lets go." I say, obviously with fright in my voice.

She nods and we start to run away from the fire. The inferno that was created by the Gamemakers is only growing, and creating a hell of a blaze. At every step I take a tree falls down in the distance with a crackling sound of fire. I push myself harder to escape, but I think this is how I go down, in an inferno by the Capitol. With that in mind I grab Willow's arm and push as hard as I can to the Cornucopia. The night sky is pitch black , not allowing us to see, but because of the inferno that was created, it is our light source we need. Branches fall from the sky almost landing on our heads, trees snap like twigs to stop us in our tracks.

I hate these Games.

I spot a glint of gold in the distance, and stop in my tracks. Just being careful it is not a trick, I slow down a bit to make sure. When I see the pedestals I know that is the Cornucopia. I point to the Cornucopia to show her why I stopped. She nods and we start back up again. My feet pounding on the surface of this might earth, the earth I will die on, maybe in here. We break away from the tree line and into the field that inhabits the Cornucopia. Safe from the horrid fire in the woods, we stop to take a break. I settle down with a half bottle of water, some crackers, and few pieces of dried steak strips to regain my strength. While I am at I also finally check the District 6 Girl's bag that I stole at the feast. She had some food, a few arrow heads which were pretty sharp, and a miniature first-aid-kit. Since I didn't know what she did in this arena, this is most likely what she "desperately needed", which I know they were only saying that to me.

"Dawn!" Willow screams as I dart around to see what has happened.

A long line of a liquid has covered the floor around her, I don't know what it is either. I walk up to her and put my finger in it, checking if it is poisonous. I dip it in, yet nothing happens. It bring it to my nose and inhale its bad aroma. When I bring it back to the floor, I realize what it is. Gasoline. Because of the forest fire the Careers must have finally had enough brains to do something smart. It is really is smart, just wished they were the stupid Careers who just want to murder children.

"Willow get out of there!" I scream, right as a small fire emerges from corner of my eye.

I turn to my side and see the entire Career pack Tucker, the guy from 2, and Diamond, the girl from 1 who lost her partner a long time ago. I retrieve my knives from the inside of my jacket, and wield them in my hand. The fire started on the trail that lead to Willow, and I refused to look at her if she died. I launched one of my knives at Diamond, who let out a horrid scream of pain, which landed in her chest. A cannon boomed, and I know it was Diamond's.

The only remaining Career left looks at me with grief, and revenge. He started to laugh at me from the tree line, but I didn't get what was funny. I darted around and saw the worst thing I could see, Willow's burning body. She was now covered in ashes, blood, and fire. My eyes filled with tears while I dragged her out of the flames. Her face was burned and so was the rest of her body, as I held her until in her last moments. Her cannon fired in the distance. I lifted her dead body onto the scorched grass floor.

The Final 2.

I push myself up from the floor with so much force that it hurt my hands. I reveal another knife and search for the Career. Tucker was a short sprint away from me, and he was angry. With rage that fills his eyes, he hurls himself towards me. I make a swift kick to his stomach and he falls. He grabs his stomach with pain and grabs my leg. It brings me down to the floor, making me face plant on the scorched dirt floor. I spit out dirt as he drags me towards him. I launch a knife into his chest, but he ignores the pain. With his large, overpowered, Career fist he strikes my temple. The pain surges through me quickly and scream, when he wears a grin on his face. I pull the knife from his stomach and swipe his cheek, but now deep enough for a kill. Blood covers his face and he brings his large sword in his left hand, and brings it down with great force. He stops, not striking me with the sword, and gets up to his feet.

His foot is consumed in flames, which probably made him get to his feet. He stomps it out until there is no more fire to worry about. I take this chance of him being distracted and hurl myself into his stomach. This make him fall to the floor with a thud, I wield my knife in hand and pin him to the floor with my knife to his neck.

"Look at you, you made it this far." He says with a grin.

"Same here, tough guy." He tries to flip me over but because of the stab wound he doesn't have enough strength.

"Say Hi to Titus for me, you son of a bitch." I slit his throat with the same anger as I hade with Titus.

His cannon fires, and trumpets blare and cheering plays over the loudspeakers.

" Congratulations to the District 8 Girl! Dawn Lockheart the victor of the 67th Hunger Games!" Claudius Templesmith cheers over the loudspeakers.

The anthem plays after him and I see the faces of the people I watched die today, or at least heard. I get up from his body and wear a shocked look on my face, I watch as the hovercraft take away my ally, and my enemies. I fall down to the floor, scorched with ashes, and I start to finally break down. All the deaths I saw, and all the ones I didn't. The odds were in my favor, but not in the others. I let myself only that much time to mourn, then I watch as a ladder falls from the sky. I tug on the ladder and it goes up. I get one lats look at the arena I lived in for the longest time. I see half of the arena on fire and the other completely unharmed.

I sit in a cold metallic chair, identical to the one I sat on before I entered the arena. Several Capitol people surround me with chit-chat. I ignore what they say until they all go into a separate room with more drinks or alcohol. They laugh with each other at the little things in life that don't matter, yet make a big scene about it. They think they have it bad? I just killed several people and won the Hunger Games, but when one woman lost her favorite ring on vacation people comfort her. They deserve to be punished like people in my District have been and will be until the end.

"Captain." I say to a man in a navy blue suit.

"Yes." He replies with a simple gesture of a hand shake.

"Where is this hovercraft going?" I ask hoping it will bring me back home.

"The Capitol. You will be there for another day, which is tomorrow, to be interviewed by Caesar Flickerman." My heart sinks, and I take a seat in the chair, and doze off.


	16. We Are All That Remain

"Dawn, wake up." The Captain whispers as I turn in my seat.

"Am I home?" I ask hitting the air, wanting more sleep.

"You are in the Capitol, you have interviews with Caesar in 10 minutes." I groan with exhaustion as the hovercraft comes to a steady stop.

I'm escorted out of the hovercraft, to see Cecelia and Velvet at the entrance. Velvet wears a long red dress made of feathers, obviously to stand out. I don't look at Cecelia, though. She plotted my death days before the Games started, and I didn't let her win. I won against all odds, and she wanted Titus to win. I hate her. Every fiber of my being makes me hate her more and more every second she gets closer to me, I am almost close enough to her to sock her in the face.

"Dawn! So glad you are back!" Velvet squeaks as she engulfs me in her red feathers

"I am glad to be back." I say, actually glad to stand next to her.

"Miss me?" Cecelia asks, a few steps away from me.

"Why would I? You tried to kill me." She looks at the floor, appearing disappointed about what she had done.

"That was in the past, I have changed." She says trying to win back my respect of her.

"More like I have changed, I won the freaking Hunger Games! I have killed several people, and you know why! Because in there, it was kill or be killed!" I scream at her while walking away, leaving her to her own confusion.

Every step I take makes me feel like I am breaking the ground beneath my feet. I stomp over to a large blue building, filled with several Capitol Stylists. When I barge through the doors, I receive cheers and congratulatory smiles. They watch me as I make my way to my dressing room. Jewel stands at the front of the door, wearing a smile. When I am close enough to break the door down, she moves away.

The room is the same room as the one behind the Interview Stage. After a good 5 minutes I realize, it is the room behind the Interview Stage. I take a seat on a soft blue chair, with only my thoughts to keep me company. As I ponder about what life will bring to me as I become called 'Victor'.

Victor.

Such a simple name, yet so hard to achieve that title. When I walk the streets back in District 8, people will look at me as a killer. The girl who killed her District Partner in cold blood. The girl who watched her ally die by a mace to the head. The girl who held her ally as she burned to death. The girl who won the Hunger Games.

"Glad to see you here. Now, I will make you presentable to Caesar and the rest of the Capitol tonight. Anything you want to add specially to your costume?" She asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"If I can get my token from the arena,that would be great." I say in a hushed tone, not wanting to talk anymore.

"I knew you would ask that question, I told some Peacekeepers to retrieve it from the arena when you were crowned victor." She then pulls out my token, but they fixed the string that holds it together.

"Thank you so much." I rush over to her hands, and she drops it in my hands, like heaven sent me a gift.

"Now, lets get started." I smile up at her to see, she is smiling too.

It takes a while to pick out my outfit, but when we do, it looks beautiful. A heavenly evergreen dress. It falls short at the front of the dress, yet in keeps going down on my back. I also wear my token from the arena, showing me off as a innocent, vulnerable girl from District 8. When I step in front of the mirror, Jewel sheds a tear, astounded by my 'beauty' even though I don't think I am pretty.

"Perfect, now lets show you off the world. As the Victor from District 8, Dawn Lockheart." She says, opening the door letting me go to the interview with Caesar.

I take a deep breath, then I step out the door. A Capitol man directs me to where the stage is, along with congratulating me. I thank him then go back to my original plan to going to the stage. I arrive just in time, Caesar is starting his introduction to the crowd. I slow my breathing down, waiting for the stage director to allow me to take my place.

"You're on now." The stage director says, escorting me to the curtain, waiting until Caesar announces my name.

"Ladies and Gentleman, what we have all been waiting for. The Victor of this year's Hunger Games! Dawn Lockheart, of District 8, come on down!" He yells, with excitement.

I start to walk towards Caesar. His wide, white teeth, grin sparkle with happiness. His comfort manages a slight smile on my face, for the crowd and for myself. When I take a seat and the cheers die down, Caesar starts off with his greetings.

"Dawn, I haven't seen you in a while, how has it been?" He asks, even though I think it is a joke.

"Kind of a rollercoaster, as you can guess since it was televised around the country." Everybody laughs at my response, and I do as well.

"Okay you got me there. Now, when you were on that pedestal, what did you feel?" He asks me taking my hand with his, safe guarding me from the rest of the world.

"I felt scared, because there was a major chance of me dying in the next 24 hours." The crowd doesn't laugh, they just listen on my every word.

"How about when you won the Games?" He asks me, watching me like a statue.

"I felt shocked that I beat the odds. I felt sad for the deaths that were because of me. And I felt relieved, that it was finally over, and I could go back home to my family." Caesar and the crowd nods.

"Now, because of the beauty of technology, we have a mini clip for you to watch." I nod as the lights dim and a film begins on the wall behind me.

It starts out with the bloodbath, showing my first every kill of the District 7 male.  
Then it shows the twister and Gad's death, again caused by me. The feast, displaying the District 6 girl's death along with an uncut death of Titus.  
It shows me watching as Fiona's head is rapidly being struck with a mace.  
It shows Diamond with a knife in her chest, overflowing with blood. It shows me holding Willow in my hands as her face drained of life.  
Then it finally shows me slitting Tucker's throat, declaring me victor of the 67th Hunger Games.

"You had a kill count of 6, from which all where from different Districts. I think we were all saddened when you held Willow in her last moments." He says clamping my hands, trying to comfort me.

"It broke my heart to watch her die in front of me, but I made up for it by winning, she would have wanted me to win for her. Actually, can I ask a favor?" I say wanting to ask him something for her to be entitled by.

"Sure, anything."

"Can you play her singing her song in the arena." He nods and looks around.

"I don't know why not, let's get it rolling." He says, right as the video begins to play.

He beautiful voice, echoes around the room, sinking into our hearts. She was a kind ally, a nice ally, and a good one. She never wanted to kill people, and never wanted to win. Her plan wasn't to go back home without someone to go back to, it was to let somebody go back home and meet their loved ones. She was to kind, to gentle, but now the Games have claimed her a pawn in the miserable realization of life. I will miss her everyday I live, and pray for her every time I breathe. The video ends and I can almost hear the tears from District 9.

"Well, before we wrap things up, you need to go get your Victory Crown from President Snow." He is about to tell me where to get it, when President Snow, instead, emerges from the curtains and walk towards me.

"I think she had enough heartache for a lifetime, lets just do it right here right now and let her go back home to her family." He says as a butler emerges from behind him with a box.

Snow opens the box and retrieves the crown. He holds it carefully in his hands, and places it on my head, like as if I was a princess. When he is done putting the crown on my head, he kisses me on the cheek, waves for the crowd, then goes to the back of the stage.

"Dawn Lockheart everybody! Victor of this years Hunger Games!" Caesar shouts as I leave the stage behind and go to sit down.

I find a chair and sit down, at leats that was what I wanted to do, but I fell asleep. Letting my mind wonder in my endless amount of thoughts, I start on a journey in the land of dreams, which is now called nightmares.

Nobody decent ever wins the Games, they only survive. And that is what I did, survive.


	17. Not Just Yet

**Hello readers! Hope you liked the last Chpater of 67th Hunger Games, but don't worry that wasn't the end! I am making a sequel story about her life after the Games. Dawn's story hasn't ended yet so I will make that story soon but, I am going to try to start adding more the Riley Cone's story. I am also thinking about making another story about a tribute from either 3,5,6,7,9,10, or 11. Review if you are happy to hear I am making a sequel to Dawn's story, if you are happy about seeing more of Riley, and or what District I should choose for my next story. Bye Readers!**


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